[Kransha]

“Indeed,” murmured the Halfling inwardly. He swept aside the small evergreen frock coat that was draped over his vest and small, narrow-gaited shoulders. He stepped forward, still looking slightly nervous as his sharp eyes continually shot poisonous glances at the item that dangled from the new man’s side, now concealed beneath his garments. Executing a concise bow, he addressed the two of them politely, though the pleasantry that dripped from his voice was false for the most part. He was still too on edge to be genuinely pleasant towards anyone, and the tension within him had risen as he sensed some hostility from the man before him.

“Tobias Hornblower the Third, of Longbottom. Of course, most folk simply call me Toby.” He waved his cloak behind him with a slight flourish before he rose, staring more intently at the faces of the two, seemingly assessing every inch of their expression, “I am truly pleased to make your acquaintance, Miz Falconhand…and yours as well, Mister..umm…Thorg, was it? Yes, that was the name, correct? I do believe it was."

His thick eyebrow elevated gently and arched for a moment, but soon settled above his eye, drifting until the eyelid lowered and Toby’s look became wearier. He pulled his cloak around him again and stepped back, shaking some stable debris from the leathery sole of his left foot. Looking up again after a precise examination of his foot, he continued the statement, trying to force a smile to creep over his features and make him look at least slightly more presentable than he looked, with the ill frown upon his face.

“I do not in truth desire you to leave, Madam,” he said to Morrigna Falconhand, “That outburst you had the misfortune to witness was merely a tired and angry hobbit venting ill-begotten wroth gained in the past, it was no true reflection of my current feelings. This is not my inn, nor my stable, nor my property, and you may come and go upon it as you please. If anyone wishes you to vacate these grounds, it would be Miz Aman, the innkeeper, and I assure you she has a much more tolerant disposition than I, from what I know of her. Do what you will here at the Green Dragon. I’m positive you’re help in rebuilding this structure would be much appreciated by the folk around here.” After finishing his brief and ever-so-slightly overdramatic oration, Toby Hornblower curtly bowed a second time, merely nodding his head at the two, and added, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my companion and I have some business to attend to.” He whirled around, preparing to continue his stern reprimand, only to find Snaveling’s cot unoccupied. His eyes scanned the whole stable in an instant, sweeping over the room like primitive optical radar, but he saw no sign of the shrouded man. His eyes shriveling into irritated slits once again, he turned back on his heels to face the newcomers yet again. He again tried to force a smile and failed miserably.

“It appears,” he said, trying to be pleasant but obviously very exasperated, “that the business I mentioned no longer requires attending to. Might I be so bold as to ask if you saw the aforementioned compatriot of mine run off somewhere while I was occupied? I fear he may be trying to escape me, for what reason I know not.”